Myanmar

 

Myanmar is very diverse ethnically though official figures downplay the sizes of ethnic minorities.

Sino-Tibetan 89.3%
Burmese (Bama) 57.5%
Other 19%
Karen (16) 4.8 Million
China (8 languages, numerous dialects) 1.2 Million
Arakanese (Rakhine) 730,000
Kachin(8) 900,000
Taungyo 620,000
Intha 200,000
Kado 180,000
Chaungtha 170,000
Lisu(2) 170,000
Akha 140,000
Rawang 100,000
Tai 8.5%
Shan (3) 3.2 Million
Lu-Tai(3) 320,000
Chinese 3.5%
Mon-Khmer 5.7% Over 13 peoples
Mon 1.1 Million
Palaung(5) 600,000
Wa (Vo, Kawa) 1.1 Million
Khmu 100,000
Other 5%
Rohingya 1.4 Million
Indian 750,000
Nepali (Gurkhali) 200,000
Malay 26,000
Moken (Sea Gypsy) 5,000
Literacy 83%
Official Language Burmese

 

Religion

Officially Buddhism is no longer the state religion, but the military regime actively promotes it. Theoretically, there is freedom of religion but because Christianity is strong among the restive ethnic minorities there is much discrimination against Christians. There have been many cases of forced conversions to Buddhism and violence against rural Christians.

 

Religion Type: % of Population

 

Approx Number
Buddhist 82.90 37,811,666
Christian 8.70 3,970,000
Muslim 3.80 1,733,225
Chinese 3.00 1,368,335
Traditional Ethnic 0.80 364,889
Hindu 0.50 228,056
Non-Religious / Other 0.30 136,834

 

Prayer Needs

  1. Pray for an orderly transfer to a just and democratic government that will rebuild the country with both democratic and religious freedom.
  2. Pray for ethnic harmony and peace.
  3. Pray for the removal of restrictions on fellowship with Christians from other lands.
  4. Pray for believers…that they may continue to evangelize and reach out to other unreached peoples and to the Burmese majority.
  5. Pray that the least evangelized people will be receptive to the Gospel.

 

Geography

Area: 676,577 square kilometers

Basin and delta of the Irrawaddy River ringed by a horseshoe of high mountains that isolates the country from India, China and Thailand.

 

Major Cities:

Yangon – capital                                                                    5,000,000

Mandalay                                                                               800,000

Urbanites                                                                               27%

Economy

Myanmar is rich in natural resources but ravaged by the greed of its rulers. Few countries have been so effectively plundered and impoverished by it’s own leaders. The large teak forests are being stripped. The most successful export is opium, producing over 50% of the world”s supply from the so-called Golden Triangle in the Lao-Thai border region.